Crown Princess Mette-Marit was seen arriving at the National Hospital in Oslo on Thursday, according to multiple Norwegian news agencies. In photos published by the tabloid VG, she was seen arriving alongside both her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, and her daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra. Their daughter had announced earlier in the week her intent to fly back from college in Australia to be with her mother as Mette-Marit’s health continues to decline. The Crown Prince also cut short an official trip to Japan. The reason for the Corwn Princess’s hospital visit has not yet been disclosed.
The hospitalization comes as the Norwegian royal family continues to navigate a time period. Queen Sonja, 88, was herself admitted to the National Hospital in late May with heart fibrillation and heart failure before being discharged. She made her first public appearance since that hospitalization today, attending a visit to the Trondheim Art Museum. “Of course, we don’t think it’s anything positive,” the Queen told reporters about Mette-Marit today, per broadcaster NRK. “It’s a great shame. We can only hope that everything goes well.”
It echoes similar comments that her husband, King Harald, made about their daughter-in-law last week. “She is seriously ill. There is no doubt about that, unfortunately.”
Mette Marit was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and has been seen using supplemental oxygen at recent public appearances. Last winter, the Royal Palace said doctors had begun preparing for a potential lung transplant evaluation. “The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately,” Haakon told the press in May. “So I am worried about her health. She uses oxygen in her everyday life, and that helps a bit.”
Mette-Marit with her husband and children at a reception at the Royal Palace in April.LISE ASERUD – Getty Images
NRK also reported on Thursday that Crown Prince Haakon and his son, Prince Sverre Magnus, had been considering attending the World Cup in the United States this month. King Harald had announced the roster himself in a special video. But Haakon has since indicated that the decision would depend on Mette-Marit’s condition. “We’ll have to look into it a bit, because there’s a balance between the Crown Princess’s illness and whether we can travel,” he said this week. “Then we’ll come back to that question. But it’s certain that we’ll be watching the World Cup.”
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